Pair named as ‘Alex Marunchak and Jonathan Rees’ bailed after hacking arrests

A 61-year-old journalist arrested yesterday in connection with allegations of computer hacking has been bailed by police.

The man was named by the BBC as former News of the World Ireland editor Alex Marunchak. A 58-year-old man, named as private investigator Jonathan Rees, was also arrested yesterday morning and released on bail.

Both were arrested on suspicion of offences under the Computer Misuse Act 1990 and Sections 1 and 2 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, police said.

Scotland Yard said the arrests brought to 16 the number of people arrested under Operation Tuleta, a Scotland Yard investigation into privacy breaches including the alleged hacking of computers and stolen mobile phones.

The operation is being run in tandem with two other investigations: Operation Weeting, which is looking at alleged phone hacking, and Operation Elveden, an inquiry into claims of corrupt payments to public officials.

Both men were arrested at their homes, which were searched by officers.

The 58-year-old was bailed to return to a south London police station later this week, while the 61-year-old was bailed until mid-February.

Over the last 16 months at least 47 journalists have been arrested by UK police for alleged offences committed in the course of their work.